


Heretic Pride

by A_Plethora_Of_Peters



Series: It's Tough To Be A God [4]
Category: The Mechanisms (Band)
Genre: (sorta?), Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Blood and Gore, Broken Bones, Gen, Gun Violence, Jonny is Gay for Brian, Jonny is not a Forgiving God, M/M, Medical Needles (mentioned), Mistreatment of Prisoners, Mob Brutality, Nastya is more comfortable with machines than people, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Plague, Religious Persecution, Wizard of Oz References, disease mention, like hella gay, magic disease
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:55:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27149726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Plethora_Of_Peters/pseuds/A_Plethora_Of_Peters
Summary: Brian is relieved that the cure works- he got a God to assist him making it, of course it was going to work- and spends the next few months crafting it again and again, using it to cure everyone in town. Sometimes while he works, he will pause, puzzled by the feeling of being watched, and glance over his shoulder.There is never anyone there when he looks though.
Relationships: (mentioned) - Relationship, Drumbot Brian & Jonny d'Ville, Jonny d'Ville & Nastya Rasputina, The Aurora/Nastya Rasputina
Series: It's Tough To Be A God [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959880
Comments: 31
Kudos: 106





	1. They Come And Pull Me From My House/And They Drag My Body Through The Streets

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all you beautiful individuals! This one admittedly got away from me a bit, so it's being broken down into chunks so I don't overwhelm you all! 
> 
> In this chapter, we're going to be dealing with some sensitive subjects so please do mind the tags and trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter! 
> 
> TW for this chapter are:  
> \- non-graphic panic attack,   
> \- disease description,   
> \- medical needle/shot mention,   
> \- mob brutality,   
> \- mention of broken bones/bones resetting
> 
> As always if you need me to tag anything, please don't hesitate to let me know! Enjoy!

Brian is relieved that the cure works- he got a God to assist him making it, of course it was going to work- and spends the next few months crafting it again and again, using it to cure everyone in town. Sometimes while he works, he will pause, puzzled by the feeling of being watched, and glance over his shoulder.

There is never anyone there when he looks though.

He is thanked profusely by many for curing them and saving their loved ones. He basks in the warmth of the joy and satisfaction of helping these people who took pity on him a decade ago. He unfortunately also hears the whispered names that the more… skeptical townsfolk call him whenever he leaves his home to replenish his supplies or help someone with the disease. 

Hedge Worker and Witch are alright. Those are harmless things that some of them have always called him. He can ignore those the easiest.

Sorcerer just makes him sigh and roll his eyes. Nothing he did on his own involved magic. It was only science and that was all. Just because they didn't understand how it worked didn't automatically make it magic. The only reason the cure had any magical influence was by The Scientist's grace.

Warlock, Demon Consorter and Devil's Apprentice on the other hand were a bit more concerning. Summoning demons and making deals with them to gain power? Uncomfortably close to the truth. He did get assistance crafting the cure but he couldn't tell them that it was The Scientist had shown him what to do. They wouldn't believe him. 

Calling him a Monster in a human's skin was a new and very uncomfortable insult slung at him. He knew he was the outsider in Lennix from the beginning. He knew that he would never truly be accepted as one of them. To imply that he was a Monster just waiting for the perfect time to kill them all… well that cut deeper than any of the accusations of magic ever could.

Spawn of an Old God… that one was the worst. He had only heard it once, hissed at his back from the anonymous market crowd. It still left him shaking in a corner of his home once he got back, panicking for hours. He had no idea why that particular phrase hit him so hard. He just knew that it terrified him down to his bones. 

( ~~_A bunch of rocks are hurled at him and someone he is related to. He sobs in pain, as one hits where he will have a scar over his eye later in life, and an unknown kid's voice screams. "Get lost Old God spawn!"- a flash of gold and he forgets again…_ ~~)

He tries to not let the whispers about him distract from his task. 

He can't ignore them however when word finally gets to him that Zoroaster, the high priest of the Pantheon's temple, has caught the plague as well. Zoroaster was the one who housed and fed Brian until he had recovered enough to move into his own small home. It was because of his mercy that Brian stayed in the town despite the two of them frequently butting heads over differing ideologies regarding magic and science and the role of a doctor in society.

When he arrives at the home, his daughter, Nessa, clings to Brian when he arrives. "P-Please! H-He's all I have left! P-Please s-save him!" She begs him.

Brian gently hugs her with one arm, as the other is occupied by his medical bag, and promises her. "I will. Don't worry."

When he sees the priest though, his heart sinks. Brian can certainly try but he can tell that he will be unable to save him. He's in the final stages of the disease. 

It was fascinating in its own horrific way. The illness was a magio-scientific disease that infected people's cells, hardening them into various types of metal. It took roughly a month for a person to entirely change into metal. 

The early stages saw a decrease in body movement as joints locked up and there was a rise in difficulty breathing as ribs fused. Later stages had patches of metal appearing on the skin of the infected individuals and they suffered from malnutrition as their body refused to absorb nutrients due to their internal organs turning to metal. In the final stages, the only indication that the withered statue lying in bed was once human is the faintest breaths that can only be detected by putting a mirror to their face.

Brian checks with a mirror and yes, Zoroaster is still breathing, but he can't give him the injection that he gives the early stages nor can he feed it to him as his closed mouth is now sealed solid. He isn't sure how but he knows that Hades is coming for Zoroaster. They're coming soon.

He puts his face in his hands and tries to figure something out. 

_H-He's all I have left! P-Please s-save him!_

Nessa's voice rings in his ears. She had no mother since hers had died when she was young in an accident, and her father was the only living relative she had left. Brian didn't want her to be alone. She didn’t deserve to be alone in the world like he is. His resolve hardens as he lifts his face from his hands. 

He looks determined at Zoroaster's metal form. Zoroaster had saved him once. Now it was Brian's turn to save him.

The warmth that has burned in his heart since he drank The Scientist’s boon, now floods him. He puts his hands on Zoroaster's chest and lets the burning warmth overflow into the priest. Brian is surprised but also satisfied watching the metal retreat from his hands, rippling outward until the priest looks as if he had never been ill in the first place. 

As Zoroaster stirs, taking the first deep breath that he probably has had in a month, Brian calls in Nessa. He respectfully leaves them alone as she embraces her awakening father and sobs into his shoulder. 

He still has work to do.

A few hours later, after making sure no new cases of the plague had broken out, there is a banging at his door.

Brian sets down the latest batch of the cure and goes to answer it, thinking it was an emergency. 

Brian cries out in pain as rough hands seize him, tearing his clothes, ripping his hair out by the roots and dragging him from his home. He is thrown to the ground and he curls up in an attempt to protect himself as blow after blow starts raining down on him. There is a roaring in his ears so he can barely hear the accusations of witchcraft, of sorcery, of defying the Gods.

He cries out in agony, feeling his ribs snap under steel toed boots. His fingers and right arm break under someone's heels stomping repeatedly on them. His left leg breaks when someone hits it with what felt like a club or a staff. He mercifully passes out from the pain when someone stomps on his face hard enough to break his nose… 

~0.0~

Jonny has been keeping an eye on Raph's accidental new godling for a few months now. 

He knows from what he can see of Brian’s Story, that a number of changes to how the town functions were instated when Brian arrived in the town ten years prior. 

Things like electric lights, air cooling and heating devices, stoves and ovens that ran on electricity and gas, and, of course, everything Brian needed for his medical practice. Pressure from other larger towns outside of this one- Lennix Brian's Story tells him- helped ease the institution of such things. At least for the younger generations.

Not everyone liked those changes of course. Those people that watched him with fearful eyes, that saw him as an ill omen. Unfortunately they included the priest that apparently took him in initially and they were mostly the older generations and therefore resistant to change. Jonny makes sure to keep a wary eye on them as well.

Despite the growing unrest in that particular faction of the town, Jonny is begrudgingly impressed with Brian. The immortal is consistently noble, and he remains impressively selfless- if Raph hadn't made him immortal, he would've probably died of exhaustion several times over by the time he's informed of Zoroaster being ill. 

Jonny snickers, feeling Ashes' amused frustration at being thwarted by Brian yet again as Brian cures the priest. 

Jonny's joy is short-lived as the weight of the next part of Brian's Story hits him like a knife through the heart.

_-A new power- a life for a life- Savior of the Lost- Comforter of the Lonely- the impossible made possible- a witch hunt-_

He jolts out his trance with a curse and a harsh realization.

**_He can't interfere yet_ ** **.**

It would turn Brian's Story sour if he stopped them from doing anything from Brian. Jonny had barely gotten Tim through his own Story by the skin of his teeth and Tim still sometimes relapsed into the Monster that he had started to become. He didn't want to condemn Brian to a similar fate.

So Jonny forces himself to do nothing but watch.

He watches as a mob gathers, blunt weapons in hand, and march to Brian's house. He watches as they pound on the door until he answers. He watches as they roughly grab Brian by his clothes and hair and drag him from his home.

Jonny's fists are tight enough that his nails pierce his palms as he watches them throw Brian roughly to the ground. His heart going _ticktickticktick_ is all he can hear besides the guttural cries of pain as they start stomping on Brian and beating him with the clubs they brought with them. Every injury that the immortal receives echoes across Jonny's body as he takes in his Story.

He barely registers the golden ichor dripping from between his fingers to fill the alley he was watching from with yellow carnations.

Once Brian passes out, they roughly haul him up, his head lolling around like the head of a ragdoll, and drag him off. Jonny follows invisibly behind them as they take him down into the cells below the jail for the evening. Jonny sits next to Brian after they dump him in a cell and waits.

Brian wakes up as his broken leg resets itself. He bites off a cry of pain, his body trembling as he curls up as best he can. Jonny's mechanical heart aches as he invisibly touches his forehead. 

"It's okay. You're going to get through this." Jonny quietly assures him. He doesn't know if Brian can hear him, but the immortal starts crying as his other more serious injuries heal up as well.

Footsteps catch Jonny's attention and he is ready to Tell A Story, to turn them away to give Brian some well needed rest.

"B-Brian?" It's a young woman's voice, familiar though Jonny can't place it. Jonny watches curiously as a cloaked woman stops outside his cell. She lowers her hood and Jonny is surprised to see that it’s Zoroaster's daughter.

"Nessa?" Brian unsteadily gets to his feet and limps over to the bars. "What's going on? They just grabbed me and they-"

"They think you used necromancy to resurrect my father." 

Jonny is just as shocked as Brian is. Jonny's shock quickly turns to anger. Necromancy? He _saved_ a man _from the brink of death_ and they thought it was with **_necromancy_ **?

Oh there was going to be blood in the streets and it wasn't going to be Brian's.

"I didn't use necromancy to cure him. You know that I didn't, right?" Brian pleads with her.

"I'm not sure if it was or wasn't necromancy, but he's still completely cured." Nessa quietly says. She wipes at her eyes and takes a shuddering breath before continuing. "He was dying and you saved him."

"It was only fair since you two-" He cuts himself off, shaking his head. He bites his lip and runs his fingers through his blood matted hair with a wince. "What do they have planned for me?"

Nessa visibly tears up as she wipes at her eyes again. "Th-They plan on ha-hanging you from-from the gallows at-at noon tomorrow."

Brian shakily sighs, closing his eyes. Jonny can see and feel he's already resigned to his future death. 

"Thank you for telling me Nessa. You…" Brian hesitates before sighing. "You should go home. If they catch you here..."

"I don't care! You saved my father's life! It's as though he was never ill in the first place Brian! You shouldn’t be in here! They shouldn’t- _My father_ shouldn’t be advocating for your death!" The young woman protests, grabbing onto the cell bars. 

Stupid, self-less, kind Brian frowns at her, and lays his hands on top of hers. He gently says. "Nessa. I don't want them to hurt you because of me." 

Tears stream down her cheeks, her lower lip wobbling, before she reluctantly nods. "I… I'll try and convince father to stop them. Y-You’ve helped save so many people. T-That has to count for something right?"

"Thank you Nessa." Brian softly says. "It's… It's okay if you can't. You're just doing your best."

Jonny suddenly can see Nessa's role in his Story. She isn't Brian's Love Interest like he had initially guessed, seeing them interact with each other. She's his Little Sister.

Nessa is Brian’s own Nastya. 

He decides then and there that this shitty resignation of Brian's to just let them kill him simply won't do. 

Jonny knows that if Brian does hang, it won't take. The moment the rope is gone and he is buried, he will come back and dig his way out of his own grave. Coming back that way will twist his Story though, the same way that continuing to recklessly charge into battle to ~~try and die~~ fight twisted Tim's Story. He can feel how Brian's Story just needs a little nudge, a push to get it going in the right direction. 

So Jonny decides that he's gonna be that push it needs...


	2. The Crowds Grow Denser By The Second/As We Near The Center Of The Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention last chapter, but the story/chapter titles come from Heretic Pride by The Mountain Goats and you will find more references to the song sprinkled throughout this particular chapter!
> 
> TW for:  
> \- mob mentality  
> \- excessive use of force with a prisoner  
> \- religious justification for an execution,  
> \- contemplation of imminent death by hanging,  
> \- graphic description of the results of someone getting shot in the head,
> 
> As always if there are other things that you think I should tag/add trigger warnings for, please tell me!   
> That said, I hope you enjoy!

Brian spends the rest of the night in the town jail trying to get some sleep after Nessa leaves. Eventually he falls into a fitful sleep full of glimpses of a mechanical heart, of a series of golden animal masks, of a giant obelisk that looks like an enormous black box with rainbow veins, of the indistant figure of a woman whose only feature he's sure of is a single gleaming eye...

He wakes with a start the next morning. He sighs, putting his face in his hands. He doesn't know how he knows it, but he is aware that Nessa couldn't sway Zoroaster and the others from this path they have chosen.

He Knows that he is slated to die in a few hours.

He spends those hours in quiet contemplation and prayer. Eventually the sound of people stomping through the halls reaches him. He swallows and shakily stands up. He can't identify all 5 people at the cell door, but he watches them recoil and start muttering amongst themselves upon seeing him. He knows his clothes are ripped and stained in blood while his more serious injuries had healed up overnight.

He knows that he would be terrified seeing someone like him if he was in their position.

He flinches in surprise as one of them loudly recites a prayer of protection to The Soldier, reaching up to grab the dog tags around their neck. The prayer and his flinching seems to give courage to the others. One of them unlocks the door and two of the remaining 4 walk in and grab him roughly by the arms. They roughly spin him around, pinning him to the cell wall as a third one ties his hands securely behind his back. 

Once he is restrained, he’s turned back around to face the one that had recited the prayer to The Soldier at him. They are trembling, refusing to look him directly in the face, as they reach into a bag that they have with them and pull out a black wool sack.

~~_The voice of someone he is related to speaks to him as he is reading a collection of stories about the New Gods. "Did you know that in some of the Eastern parts of the continent, magic users are hung with a bag over their head? Supposedly keeps us from cursing them through eye contact as we die." He snorts and raises his gaze from his book, a witty reply on his tongue- A flash of gold and he forgets-_ ~~

The rough fabric is heavy on his head and where it falls over his shoulders. They make sure that he cannot see out of the bag, and then they shove him out of the cell, starting him on his way staggering through the halls. They use more force than needed, ignoring the soft sounds of pain he makes when they slam him into walls and doors. When he misjudges a step making their way up a staircase from the cells below ground, he trips and falls onto the steps, cracking his jaw on the stair and filling his mouth with blood. They do nothing to help him beyond hauling him up by his shirt collar and shoving him on. 

Eventually they make it to the jailhouse doors. There is a dull roar from the other side like the sound of the ocean waves- ~~_he laughs along with the person he's related to as his friend shrieks at someone close to him about the shock of cold water that had been poured onto them- a flash of gold and the moment is gone-_ ~~ and his shoulders are roughly grabbed onto. 

“Time to face the music, _heretic_.” One of the people accompanying him growls.

The doors creak open and Brian is harshly guided through the doors.

Immediately, Brian is hit with several things at once.

The noon sun pierces through the fabric of the bag, dazzling him and leaving everyone outside the bag as indistant dark figures. The summer air against his skin feels charged like it's going to rain, the hot air thick and heavy with moisture. The scents of honeysuckle and jasmine are thick enough on the air to permeate through the hood. He staggers back a step from the sheer volume of noise from what sounds like the whole town baying for his blood.

He is half pushed, half dragged through the square, up to the gallows. He is led up the steps to the platform and held tightly in place as they settle the noose over the bag and around his neck. They adjust the knot of the noose to sit just below his left ear. Distantly he thinks that the knot placement will ensure that his neck breaks and he will die quickly. 

He is left alone after the noose is settled around his throat. His heart pounds wildly in his chest as he is intensely aware that beneath his feet is the trapdoor that will open and seal his fate. The crowd quiets down as Zoroaster's voice, close enough that if Brian had his arms free he could reach out and touch the man, rings out from Brian's right.

"Ruler of the Dead! We ask you to have pity on this necromancer, who has disobeyed you and taken a soul that was rightfully yours from you!"

Brian is frozen in fear as he listens to him invoke the names, and therefore attention, of the Gods. He should’ve expected as much. It was actually a bit of a relief to hear the customary excecution rites being spoken. Even if he was going to die, it would be with some dignity, the acknowledgment that he was still human to them.

"The Balanced One! We humbly apologize on the behalf of this wretched soul, for ruining the balance of souls in this world that you meticulously maintain!"

Brian feels like he is burning on both the inside and the outside as he stands in the noonday sun. It’s a sharp contrast to the coldness of Zoroaster’s voice. Even at his angriest with Brian in the past, he never sounded this distant and cruel.

“The Terrible One! We call upon you to fall upon this defiler of nature and punish him as he so rightfully deserves!”

Brain can feel the air pressure drop and the light dims as the sky clouds over. Even through the hood, he can smell the oncoming rainfall as a chill wind picks up. He hopes that lightning will not strike the gallows until after he is hanged. 

"The Wrathful One! We beseech you to exact your righteous anger upon the one that has shamed your glorious Pantheon!”

Everything stills as a voice, low and drawling reverberates through the air like thunder.

“You lot are rather ungrateful, ain't ya?”

~0.0~

Jonny watches angrily as they bind Brian's wrists and place a hood over his head before taking him outside to the gallows.

He bristles as Zoroaster’s place in Brian’s Story is now finally clear: An Executioner. He listens intently as the priest starts calling out to the other Gods. Ashes makes sense as does TS. Brian had been saving people from going to Ashes’ realm and TS was a bit upset (or as close to upset as it could be) that Brian had been disturbing the balance of souls in this town that it had arranged so neatly like teeth in a jaw.

When he calls for Tim as the Monster, however, Jonny snarls. That was the mark of a bitter, petty person. He bares his teeth in a sneer as he is called upon as well.

The Wrathful?

They wanted him to be fucking wrathful? _Fine_. He would show them what the true wrath of a God looks like.

He manifests himself in the shadows of an alleyway just outside of the square and, to the unobservant, casually saunters in.

The observant person would see him as a predator, a fox stalking into the henhouse.

"You lot are rather ungrateful, ain't ya?" He says, loudly, with just the faintest hint of divine resonance to make sure his voice carries.

The priest falls silent as the startled crowd parts around him. He keeps walking forward and he can see a few that are blessed by him in the crowd whisper to their neighbors and then back up.

Good.

Brian's Story would need Tellers.

Zoroaster glowers down at him. "Ungrateful to who? A witch?" The priest sneers. "It was my time and he stopped me from moving on to the Halls of Hades."

Jonny stops next to the gallows and sighs dramatically. He reaches down to his belts and draws one of his knives and his revolver. "Well if you're going to be like _that_ …" He looks around at the crowd, who tensed seeing him pulling out his weapons. "Right! If you don't want to die for the sake of this senseless murder, this is your one chance to ** _get the fuck out!_** "

He watches a good portion of the crowd pale at the sight of the golden blade and his gleaming pistol, and they book it out of the square. Honestly, the knife and gun are all for show. His real power is in his voice after all, which can cut deeper than any blade and pierce faster than any bullet.

Only centuries of receiving prayers, keeps him from showing any emotion as Brian silently pleads with him. 

_Please! Whichever God you are! Whether you are the Glittering One, The Creator, The Soldier, or the Storyteller! Have mercy on Zoroaster! He is just doing what he thinks is right for the town!_

Fuck, Brian really was good wasn't he? Appealing to their merciful sides? Asking for them to be merciful to a man that is ready to hang him for saving him from death? 

Meanwhile, Zoroaster himself scoffs at Jonny. "You think you can overpower us all with just a knife and a pistol?"

Jonny bares his teeth in a savage grin. "I could bring you to your knees with only a few words, _old man_. The weapons just make things more fun." He nods his head towards Brian. "Even now, your victim begs for mercy on your behalf… Would you waste his kindness?"

He can see Brian jolt in surprise as the crowd murmurs uneasily. Jonny knows that they think that he is either a God or a demon and the number who think of him as the former are growing. He slowly makes his way up the gallows steps and stands across the platform from the priest.

He glares at Jonny with cold dark eyes. "Suppose that we did release him to you, what would you do with him then?"

Jonny shrugs, the picture of ease despite being coiled tighter than a spring. "Get him away from here, for one. After that? Haven't quite decided on that."

He can see that Brian shivers at his words. He tries to ignore the fear that radiates off of him too. 

The priest stares at Jonny for a few moments before he reluctantly nods. He turns and removes the noose from around Brian's neck. He doesn't bother untying his hands or removing the hood from his head. Brian is just shoved onto his knees in front of Jonny. "Take him then and never return."

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Jonny says firmly. He puts his knife away and places that hand on Brian's tall- honestly it was really fucking rude of him to be this tall for a mortal even when he was kneeling- shoulder. He feels Brian tremble in his grasp and he can feel his fear grow.

Jonny hums and stares down Zoroaster, who seems to be waiting for him to leave. Without looking away from him, Jonny asks. "Is the lady called Nessa Diggs here?"

For the first time since Jonny showed up, the priest looks frightened of him. 

Serves the bastard right. 

He squeezes Brian’s shoulder in what he hopes is a reassuring way. The crowd parts reluctantly to let Nessa step forward and bow deeply to him.

"You asked for me, my lord?" She softly says.

Jonny Looks at her and finds her Story to be full of kindness and fueled by a just heart. It is also very full of sorrow. He feels a bit guilty about adding to that sorrow but her father invoked him as The Wrathful One, not The Storyteller. 

The air is thick with moisture, the skies ready to release a rainfall that will not cease until the source of Jonny's anger is completely destroyed.

He tilts his head and gently asks. "Do you know who I am?"

She looks him square in the eyes and says. "Yes, your Grace." 

He hums softly and stares back at her for a few long moments. Finally he Tells her. " **Go home Nessa Diggs until you are summoned by one like Myself. You will need the rest as you will be taking up your father's mantle, and the new Name of Ozma, starting tomorrow.** "

He can see her tremble at his words. She looks at her father, tears welling in her eyes, and bites her lip. She bows her head at Jonny and she leaves. Jonny waits until her Story tells him that she is out of sight and hearing range of the square before lifting his gun and pointing it at the priest.

The sky rumbles darkly overhead with thunder as he growls. " ** _Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkle Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs._ **"

The priest staggers, falling to one knee as the weight of his full True Name forces him there. Jonny lowers the gun to keep it level with his head.

" ** _You gathered these people together to kill a man whose only crime was repaying a debt that had been made long ago. You were his caretaker during the first year of his staying here in Lennix. You nursed him back to health when he almost succumbed to a fever from his injuries. He repaid you in kind, a decade later, saving you on the brink of death with a gift given to him by The Scientist Herself_ **." 

Jonny can see Zoroaster's eyes widen in shock as he realizes his first misstep. He continues on, his teeth bared in a feral parody of a grin.

" ** _You then have the audacity to call upon The Soldier to try and exact revenge on him, accusing him falsely of offending Us when it is not him who disgraced himself in Our eyes. You summon_ ** **_Me_ ** **_, to rain_ ** **_My_ ** **_wrath upon the one that you believe has shamed Us_ **."

He cocks his gun, the noise echoed by the thunder overhead. The first drops of rain start falling. Where the droplets fall on Jonny, sparks of electricity spit and flare. None of the sparks touch Brian though the rain does touch him, slowly soaking him. 

" ** _You are fortunate that he has begged Me for mercy. If I had My way, you would be suffering for centuries until you beg Me for the sweet release of death. Instead you will be the only one here to die to My Wrath that you wanted so dearly and your death will be swift. Farewell Zoroaster. May Hades have mercy on your soul… Doubt it if I'm being honest though_ **."

With that he pulls the trigger.

There is a crash of thunder at the same moment and the priest's head explodes like an overripe fruit beneath someone's foot. Brian flinches as some bits of the priest hit his back. The crowd screams as Zoroaster's headless corpse hits the platform and the rain starts pouring down in earnest now. Blood and bone and brain matter is washed from the platform in moments as the rain soaks everyone present. 

Everyone except for Jonny.

Jonny glowers at them all. He is aware of how terrifying he must look to them, the eye of the storm, with lightning flickering across his skin which is only wet from the spray of water falling onto the gallows platform and Brian.

Brian...

He looks down at Brian, who he can see is shivering in the wet from the cold as well as from fear, and without much further thought whisks them both away in an instant...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohohoho? What is this? Foreshadowing? In my fanfic? 83c
> 
> The priest's full name is that of the eponymous Wizard of the Wizard of Oz while his daughter's names are the rightful ruler of Oz's name in the original Oz books (Ozma) and the name of the sister of Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West, in Wicked (Nessa)


	3. And I Feel So Proud To Be Alive/And I Feel So Proud When The Reckoning Arrives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for:  
> \- recalling a violent death  
> \- emotional breakdown  
> \- self-deprecating thoughts  
> \- casual discussion of human death by non-human entities

Brian's head is spinning both from being magically transported and from the sudden turn of events. 

Zoroaster is dead at the hands of whatever God arrived at his command. Nessa- Ozma is her name now he guesses- is the High Priestess of Lennix. He's alive and unharmed for now, but he is now at the mercy of a God that had been called upon to hurt him. 

He strains his ears to try and figure out where they were. Wherever they are now, it is dry and warm. Faintly he can hear the rain but it echoes oddly around them.

A cave?

"Fuck. Dammit. Fuck me." The muttered curses are surprisingly good at calming Brian as he is guided to sit down on a cold surface, stone if Brian was to hazard a guess from the slight texture and curve beneath his legs. 

A warm gust of air blows over him and immediately his clothes aren't soaking wet. They aren't completely dry either, but at least he doesn't feel chilled to the bone anymore.

"Let's get you untied then see about that hood." The God says, surprisingly gently. 

There's a tugging from behind him as his hands are unbound. Gentle hands covered in what feel like fingerless gloves carefully bring his arms around to his front. He shivers as they knead at his sore arms, rub the feeling back into his prickling fingers, and soothe the rope burns on his wrists with light strokes. 

"I'm going to remove the sack now." They warn him, touching his shoulder gently. "Okay?"

Brian lifts his hand to clumsily cover the God's and nods. "O-Okay…"

The hand beneath his flexes, grabbing onto the edge of the bag, waits until Brian has removed his hand, and carefully pulls it off of him.

He squints as even the dim light around him, hurts his eyes. His eyes slowly adjust, a deep and rough hewn cave coming into view. He thinks he might even know which cave this is exactly having heard about it from the young teens in town who love playing in it's cool confines during the summer. 

~~_ -"God can you be more of a lazy cat-folk?" He jokingly complains as the one he knows lays down on him. They growl playfully at him, tail twitching, and stretch out on top of him more, soaking in the summer sun coming through the hole in the grotto ceiling- a flash of gold and nothing remains- _ ~~

He inhales sharply as he realizes that the light filling the cave is radiating from someone kneeling in front of him. 

It's a man- or at least what looks like a man- with short, wild blonde hair and a matching goatee. He is turned partially away, setting aside the damp bag that had been covering Brian's head.

Finally, he looks up at Brian, dark blue eyes meeting brown.

Brian takes in the many belts that the man wore around his hips and torso. There was even a few on his arms, pinning his rolled up sleeves and wrapped around his wrists like bracelets. There is a revolver at his hip and at least 2 pairs of visible knives on his person. Dark markings spread away from around his intense eyes like a lightning strike through wood. 

He recognizes him from the temple depictions immediately.

This is The Storyteller, The Melodious, the first and oldest of all the New Gods. 

Brian can't help but squirm a bit under his unwavering scrutiny.

The Scientist's gaze had been full of curiosity and an intense need to know everything about him right down to his soul. She saw him as an experiment to review the results of, a peer to pick the mind of for ideas.

The Storyteller's look is more appraising and accessing. It's like Brian is a half-finished musical piece and he's a musician trying to figure out what notes go next in his melody, like he's an unfinished manuscript that The Storyteller has writer's block on. Brian briefly worries that he may be judged as being not worth rescuing after all.

"I'm sorry- Didn't mean- Wanted to help-" He pushes against the stone he's sitting on, clumsily getting to his feet while trying to apologize. For what exactly, he's not sure. For Zoroaster insulting him and the Pantheon? For Brian drawing attention to himself? For forcing The Storyteller to kill Zoroaster and instate his daughter as the new head of the temple?

He staggers when he gets to his feet. He is tired and hungry and more than a little overwhelmed right now. But he doesn't want to appear vulnerable to The Storyteller.

"Hey, easy there." The Storyteller gets up as well and attempts to stabilize him, holding onto his forearms until he can stand on his own. His hands are warm and deceptively strong. "Take it slow, Brian."

"I'm sorry-" Hearing his name being said in a worried tone that breaks him. Everything that has happened so far finally hits Brian, and the world becomes blurry and distant to him as he starts crying. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" 

His body heaves with deep sobs, his hands clutching at his chest as he struggles to breathe around the tears.

Brian can't see him clearly but the Storyteller sounds worried about him. "It's okay, you're safe. I- I'm- Fuck I know it sounded like it when I was talking to Zoroaster back there but- I- I'm not going to hurt you, okay? Just- try to breathe?"

Brian chokes on another sob, feeling relieved. He is safe. He isn't going to be hung or stabbed or burned or whatever other ways the Gods have for killing people. 

Without thinking about it, he pulls the smaller- how is a God this small? He's so small and lean like he's barely full grown- man into a tight hug to try and ground himself as he continues to sob.

The Storyteller makes a startled sound as he is embraced by Brian. His body is tense as he seems to process what is going on. After a few moments, he relaxes and gingerly returns the hug. He even rubs Brian's back gently as he continues to murmur reassurances in both Common and in another language that Brian doesn't know.

Brian doesn't know how long he cries for but eventually his tears run dry. He hiccups a bit before he takes a few shaking breaths to get rid of them and steady himself. "Th-Thank you. For-For res-rescuing me." He manages to say.

The Storyteller shrugs in his arms and mutters. "Don't worry about it. You needed the comfort."

It finally sinks in that he's hugging a God without asking him for permission first. 

A God who is one of two that are renowned for violent rampages when he is angered. 

Brian lets go of him, blushing deeply as he wipes away the rest of his tears. "S-Sorry! I-I just- Should have asked-!"

“If I really minded, you wouldn't be alive..” He points out with a wry smile.

Brian winces at the reminder. "Ah. Yes. That's true."

“...Anyway!" The Storyteller claps his hands as he backs up, away from him. Brian finds himself missing the warmth he gives off. "You’re welcome for the save, feel free to go about your business, and all that jazz!”

"I... Don't know what to do now though? That town... That was all I've known." Brian softly says. He feels the looming weight of loss and loneliness, ready to swamp him as soon as he's by himself. The Storyteller's presence actually is helping keep those feelings at bay.

“Ah. Sorry to hear that?” The Storyteller looks almost… Guilty? As if he thought it was his fault for everything. It was Brian's fault but he guessed that the Storyteller wouldn't want to hear that from him.

"It's fine." Brian sighs. "I just... I know that The Scientist gave me a gift but… Do you know why she chose me?"

“You impressed her.”

"I… Impressed her?" Brian echoes, surprised by both his bluntness and the speed that he answered.

“Yeah, obviously.” The Storyteller rolls his eyes. There's a level of fondness in the motion. Brian guesses that she isn't easily impressed and that The Storyteller knows this.

"So she gave me immortality and powers… Just for impressing her?"

“... Yeah, basically. She actually seems to like you compared to most immortals she's made in the past.”

Brian blushes and fidgets with his hands. 

She had made other immortals before him? 

But he was her favorite?

"Oh... She was- It was very nice to work with her. She didn't get mad at me for going off on tangents and she answered all my questions honestly."

The Storyteller hums thoughtfully, looking at him. “Yeah. She likes inquisitive minds like that." He pauses and asks suddenly. "So you don’t have any plans or specific places to go?”

Brian is startled by the question.

"No? I was traveling... Somewhere when I was caught in a landslide about ten years ago. Don't know where I was headed as most of the stuff in the cart that was with me was destroyed." 

Brian sighs and gestures to his head. It still aches sometimes and he gets dizzy spells where he sees flashes of light sparkling in his vision, but he doesn't think that he needs to tell him that. The Storyteller drinks in his words without judgement so he continues.

"Can't remember anything about my personal life before that. I know general facts and occasionally something small and useless will slip through but most of my past is a mystery to me."

The Storyteller has a thoughtful look on his face as he squints up at Brian. Belatedly he realized that in a way, he was showing devotion to him. He was telling The Storyteller a story, his story which the God probably already knew. 

"Stayed in Lennix because… Well I had nowhere else to go and what I did know is that I am a doctor and I knew how to help people." He concludes with a soft blush.

The Storyteller watches him for a few moments before nodding. “... Well. We'll have to wait here in this cave until the rain stops, but then you just pick a direction and we’ll go wandering?” The Storyteller says, sitting back down again. He leans back against the cave wall and pats the ground beside him.

"We-  _ We'll _ wander?" Brian looks surprised at him. "You're coming with me?"

The God shrugs and waves a hand carelessly in his direction. "If you don't mind? Clearly you need someone to watch your back, and your Story... Well it seems like it'll be an interesting one." He has an expression on his face that equal parts concern, embarrassment and something that Brian can't quite put his finger on.

Maybe fear?

Brian blushes and gingerly sits next to him, keeping a respectful distance between them. "O-Oh... Thank you. I mean I suppose it makes sense, you are the Storyteller after all..."

"Jonny." The Storyteller suddenly says, turning to look at him so quickly that he startles Brian. 

The God flushes and looks away, repeating. "Jonny. You can call me Jonny. Storyteller and Melodious are a bit of a mouthful, and… Well… You heard why I don't favor The Wrathful as a title."

Brian suppresses the urge to shudder at the reminder. He can still hear and feel the patter of bits of Zoroaster hitting him before the rain washed it away. He pushes past the lingering feelings of unease to offer him his hand. "It's nice to meet you then, Jonny."

"The pleasure is all mine, Brian." Jonny says, shaking his hand.

Brian finds himself blushing, hearing The Storyteller- hearing  _ Jonny _ say his name again. He guesses that either he found out on his own or he asked The Scientist. Either way it was… Kinda nice?

Jonny clears his throat, releasing his hand. "A-Anyway, you're probably tired." He looks at Brian worried. "You should try to get some rest."

Brian sighs and nods, pulling off his damp coat. He drapes it carefully over his legs as a blanket as he curls up into a ball with his back to the wall. He closes his eyes and tries to ignore the presence of the God within arm's reach.

Something gently nudges his side. 

He opens his eyes and looks over to see that Jonny isn't looking directly at him as he offers him a very warm looking blanket. It's extremely fluffy, Jonny's fingers disappearing into the thick fabric, and it's a rather pleasant blue-green color like fresh pine needles.

Brian doesn't know where he pulled it from and assumes it is just something he conjured up, being a God and all that.

"Oh. You don't-" Brian starts to protest, but bites his lip when Jonny shoots him a look of faint annoyance and worry. He sighs before taking the blanket from him. "Thank you, Jonny." 

It is indeed as soft and warm in his hands as it looked in Jonny's hands.

He rearranges himself so that he's curled up on his side, head pointed towards Jonny. His coat is spread out underneath him to soften the cave floor and he pulls the blanket over him carefully. It smells of lavender and cedar which helps relax Brian ever so slightly. Brian hides his face under the fabric as he tries to resist the urge to cry again. 

Everything is just so overwhelming right now...

He shivers as he feels Jonny's hand gingerly rest on the top of his head.

"It's okay. I'm not going to leave you." The God quietly says. He gingerly starts stroking his hair. After a few moments, he starts to sing a soft lullaby to Brian.

_ Wandering child of the earth _

_ Do you know just how much you're worth? _

_ You have walked this path since your birth _

_ You were destined for more _

_ There are those who'll tell you you're wrong _

_ They will try to silence your song _

_ But right here is where you belong _

_ So don't search anymore _

Tears well in his eyes as a feeling of deep peace washes over him. He lets them fall as he mourns everything he has lost. His home, people who he thought of as family, his memories. Through his stifled cries, he hears Jonny continue to sing.

_ You are the dawn of a new day that's waking _

_ A masterpiece still in the making _

_ The blue in an ocean of grey _

_ You are right where you need to be _

_ Poised to inspire and to succeed _

_ You'll look back and you'll realize one day _

_ In your eyes there is doubt _

_ As you try to figure it out _

_ But that's not what life is about _

_ So have faith there's a way _

_ Though the world may try to define you _

_ It can't take the light that's inside you _

_ So don't you dare try to hide _

_ Let your fears fade away _

Once all his tears are spent, Brian closes his aching eyes. He feels exhausted but in a good way. He hums softly, listening. Jonny doesn't have a bad singing voice. It's why one of his epithets is The Melodious after all. Brian wonders if he can get him to sing more for him later.

_ You are the dawn of a new day that's waking _

_ A masterpiece still in the making _

_ The blue in an ocean of grey _

_ You are right where you need to be _

_ Poised to inspire and to succeed _

_ You'll look back and you'll realize one day _

_ You are the dawn of a new day that's waking _

_ A masterpiece still in the making _

_ The blue in an ocean of grey _

_ You are right where you need to be _

_ Poised to inspire and to succeed _

_ Soon you'll finally find your own way _

Brian's muscles relax as he slowly drifts off to sleep with the sensation of a gentle hand in his hair and the kind words being sung to his very soul...

~0.0~

Jonny finishes the lullaby and sighs softly in relief as Brian stays asleep. 

He waits until he's sure that Brian is deep in Marius' realm before relaxing against the cave wall and falling into a trance, dividing his attention between here and whoever else needs his help.

He is distantly aware of the hours passing but he concentrates on his duties until… 

"Jonny." 

He snaps back to where Brian is hearing a familiar voice say his name.

"Nastya." He responds quietly, looking up at his sister. She looks slightly uncomfortable to be in the mortal realm without her Love at her side. She still smiles awkwardly at Jonny, who returns the gesture.

She shrugs a worn backpack off onto the ground at Jonny's feet. He recognizes it from Brian's home as a personal bag of his. 

"This has everything that I could make fit inside. Raphaella noticed what I was doing and gave it a bit of an expansion. Nothing too bad. Just enough so that it fits all his clothes, any non-perishable foods he had, and any personal items that we thought he might want. Toiletries, keepsakes, and the like." 

"Thanks." Jonny hesitates before asking. "His home…?"

"Unscathed for now. Raphaella took his more… Delicate stuff including his medical gear that we couldn't fit in here and put it in your realm so it doesn't get lost in hers." Nastya smiles and laughs as Jonny groans in exaggerated annoyance. "Oh don't whine! You have taken responsibility for her little godling so it's only fair!" 

Jonny huffs, folding his arms as he glares half-heartedly at her. Nastya's laughter dies down as she looks down at Brian curiously. Jonny follows her gaze and has to bite his lip to keep himself from making a loud noise and waking him.

The immortal had shifted from a tight ball into a loose sprawl in his sleep so that the top of his head is now brushing against Jonny's thigh. Thanks to Jonny gently running his fingers through his hair, most of the mats, and therefore the dried blood there, is gone from the frizzy strands. That, in combination with his sleeping state, makes him look much younger, more vulnerable than before.

"My blood feels warm." Nastya whispers to Jonny. "Looking at him I mean. Does this… is this what you felt every time She brought another one of us to meet you?"

Jonny swallows and shakes his head. "Not in my blood. That's not my mechanism. But… my heart… it does feel warmer whenever one of you lot is around." 

It's okay to admit such things to Nastya. She was the second one to join him. She got his way of thinking in a way no one else did and never judged him for it.

Nastya nods and turns her attention back to Jonny. "That priest you killed has been cremated as per his will and testament. A pity. I could've found some use for his body."

Jonny snorts and jokes. "What? Like target practice?"

Nastya smiles at his joke and shakes her head. "TS is in the town now, helping smooth ruffled feathers and such." She changes subjects easily and Jonny could sense why.

Brian was emerging from Marius' realm.

"That's good." Jonny quietly says. "Ozma…?" 

"It’s taking great delight in teaching her the rituals and rites of the Pantheon." Nastya sounds fond of it. She relates to constructs better than most flesh and blood people so it isn't a surprise that she does. "She's saddened by the loss of her father, but it's not burdening her as much as it might others since she knows that his death was admittedly well deserved."

Jonny hums and jokes. "A little Patricide never killed anyone." 

Nastya deadpans at him. "Yes it does it Jonny. It kills shitty fathers that deserve it." 

Jonny laughs and feels Brian stir against him. He knows that Brian is awake now but pretending to sleep. He can tell Nastya can sense it too. 

She nods at him and says. "The rain stopped when his body burned and sunrise will be in an hour, Jonny."

"Thanks Nastya." Jonny nods and holds out his hand, extending his pinky. She smiles and links pinkies with him. He knows that she doesn't like hugs sometimes so a pinky swear was a good compromise for when he needed physical contact but she couldn't stand too much of it. 

"See you later,  _ mi irritante hermana _ ." Jonny says softly. "Say hello to Aurora for me."

Nastya nods and says. "Stay out of trouble надоедливый брат."

Jonny smiles, releases her pinky and flips her off, making her laugh as she goes back to her realm. Her exit leaves behind the scent of machinery and ozone.

He stares at where she had been standing until Brian's sleep roughened voice interrupts his thoughts.

"You called her… Nah-stay-ya?" He carefully says as he sits up. "Who is… she?"

Jonny smiles gently, leaning his head back as he corrects him. "Nah-stee-ya. She's my sister. Well not by blood but-"

"Your  _ sister _ ?  _ That _ was The Sunshine?" Brian interrupts. He winces when Jonny turns his head to raise an eyebrow at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Yes." Jonny quietly says looking back to where Nastya had been standing. "She's… she's the day to Aurora's night."

Brian makes a soft noise of acknowledgment. Jonny realizes at that moment that he just revealed the names of both The Lovers to Brian. 

Ehhh whatever. 

He was going to learn them eventually anyway since Brian was becoming a God too.

Not that he was going to tell Brian that. 

Not yet at least.

Still, it would be best to keep in the habit of calling everyone by their titles for now around him. Never knew who else might be listening.

Jonny shakes his head slightly before he looks at Brian and asks. "You hungry at all? Should also probably change clothes since those are a mess. Sunshine said that she and R- The Scientist packed your clothes, some non-perishable foods, and personal items into this bag for you." He holds the backpack in question up.

Brian blinks at it before carefully taking it from him. He digs inside it, making a noise of surprise as his arm vanishes inside the seemingly tiny bag up to the shoulder. He searches around a bit before he withdraws his arm with a can of peaches in hand.

"They… it's bigger than it used to be inside." Brian softly says. He settles back down onto his coat and opens the can. Jonny eyes his coat as he starts eating the peaches with his fingers.

"I gave you a blanket. Sit on that and give me your coat." Jonny says, holding out his hand. 

Brian looks startled at him, a couple fingers in his mouth. Jonny tries very, very hard to ignore the thought of what those fingers might feel like in his own mouth. 

Jonny makes a grabbing motion with his hand and continues. "It's torn to shit and I'm willing to bet that you don't have any other coats do you?"

Brian hesitates before shaking his head. He removes his fingers from his mouth with a pop. "Umm… no... not one this thin for summer-wear. My other coats are winter coats." He carefully gets off of the coat, handing it over to Jonny, before he gingerly sits down on the blanket instead.

Jonny clicks his tongue in distaste once he is handed the coat, looking at the tears and popped seams. He looks up at Brian and is startled to find that he's watching him in return. 

Brian looks away, blushing, and resumes eating his peaches.

Huh.

Maybe he also…

Jonny is quick to squash that thought before he can even finish it.

"There's a pool further into the cave if you want to clean up." Jonny says, examining a particularly bad rip to see if he could sew it together or if he would have to cheat with his powers. "You still have some blood as well as peach juice on your face."

He hears the soft rasp of Brian's fingers touching his beard as he carefully checks his face. "Ah. You do have a point." Jonny glances up to see him set aside the now empty can. He starts rummaging through the backpack until he comes up with a towel, washcloth, and a bar of soap. 

He hesitates before pulling out a change of clothes as well.

Jonny nods and returns to his examination of the coat. "We have 3 quarters of an hour until sunrise and the rain has stopped. So take your time bathing."

He hears Brian quietly thank him and then walk off, deeper into the cavern. 

With only the sounds of the cave to distract him, it's easy for Jonny to focus on Brian's coat. As well as sewing the tears up, he also casts some minor charms on it. Nothing too fancy. A bit of protection from magic attacks, a bit of good luck, and a spell to alert Jonny if Brian is attacked while he isn't around.

Just in case you know?

Jonny’s internal clock tells him that half an hour has passed before Brian returns. He looks up from where he’s doing a last minute examination of Brian’s coat after repairing it to make sure he got all the damage done to it. 

His breath catches seeing him.

Brian’s hair is still wet from the water and now rather than their usual light tawny, his flattened curls are a darker brown. The water that he couldn't squeeze out of the strands darkens the shoulders of his new light blue button-up. His skin is pinker than before from being scrubbed clean. His left sleeve is rolled up and draped over his forearm are his wet towel and washcloth.

His eyes seem a bit red so Jonny guesses that he had taken the opportunity to cry a little more. 

He could point it out here. Mourning was needed for a Story such as this. It would not be a kindness to bring it up with Brian however.

"Just in time." Jonny says instead, holds up the coat. "Finished fixing it."

Brian blinks at him before smiling. "Thank you Jonny." He hesitates looking at the two pieces of wet cloth on his arms. "Ummm… give me a moment, I'll just-"

"Hold still and close your eyes." Jonny told him. 

Looking a bit curious, Brian does as he asks. Jonny summons up a small whirlwind and swirls it about him. The towels flap about and his wet hair lifts into the air as the warm breeze buffets him from all sides.

He watches as Brian squeezes his eyes tighter shut and he sways with the wind like a tree in a storm. He doesn't stagger, Jonny notes with satisfaction. 

After a few minutes, Jonny lets the wind dissipate.

"You can open your eyes now." Jonny says, looking him over. He can't stop himself from chuckling at how fluffed up Brian's dry and unbrushed hair is.

Brian reaches up and runs his fingers through his hair. "Thank you Jonny." He smiles at Jonny.

He blushes as Brian puts away his toiletries and then holds his hand out to Jonny. "Coat please?" 

Jonny hands it to him and watches anxiously as he pulls it on. 

"Huh…" Brian looks surprised as he examines the coat. "You fixed the hem and the cuffs too. And replaced the missing buttons!" He looks at Jonny whose heart skips a tick seeing the genuine gratitude on his face. "Thank you Jonny."

He pauses and adds in a softer voice. "I should thank you for other things too. Saving me from an excecution, comforting me when I needed it… I owe you a debt."

Jonny picks up the blanket that he had conjured and shakes it once, twice, three times before it disappears in his hands. The same happens when he taps on the can that Brian had left behind.

He looks at Brian, who is attacking his hair with a brush in an attempt to tame it, and says. "The best way to repay me now is to live."

Brian pauses mid brush stroke and nods. He finishes brushing his hair and makes sure everything is in his bag before shouldering it. Together they make their way to the mouth of the cave.

The sun was halfway over the horizon. Jonny stood for a few moments basking in the warmth. Nastya was cold, physically speaking, and she hated it so she made others warm with her light.

Jonny tilts his head hearing Brian murmur his morning greetings to her. 

"Good morning Sunlight. Thank you for packing my bag for me and for making it bigger. I will do my best to repay my debt to your brother, The Storyteller." He bows slightly towards the sun.

He then looks at Jonny and asks. "Where to now?"

"Dunno. Up to you." Jonny shrugged. 

Brian hums looking around. Jonny can feel the beginnings of a Godly power of some sort shifting inside him. Something to do with directions? Brian eventually turns back towards the east, his back towards the rising sun. "This way."

"Excellent. Let's go."

As they start walking together Brian asks. "So... Can you... Can you tell me more about the other Gods? I have heard their myths before but it's different if they're from the source, from an eyewitness account."

"It's true, I know many of their stories." Jonny easily keeps up with Brian's long legged- seriously who thought it was okay to make this human this fucking tall, he was gonna stab someone- pace and shrugs. "Sure, might as well. Got someone specific in mind?"

"I guess start with a story about the Scientist? Since she is impressed with me as you put it?"

Jonny laughs and claps a hand onto Brian's shoulder, making him jump. "Let me tell you about the first time she met The Baron then! You see, once upon a time..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lullaby that Jonny sings to help Brian sleep is an original song by Adriana Figueroa called Wanderer's Lullaby
> 
> Translation notes:   
> mi irritante hermana = my irritating sister  
> надоедливый брат = bothersome brother


	4. Epilogue: And I Start Laughing Like A Child/And I Mark Their Faces One By One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Foreshadowing Intensifies]
> 
> TW for:   
> -transformation/body horror

There's a Monster in Lennix.

Of course, no one knows that the human form that the being has right now is just a shell for the Monster.

That's for the best though. 

The Monster would have to kill anyone that tried to get the way of the being fulfilling the prayer of a dying man.

The Monster listens to the rumors in town and something soft, hidden deep inside of the creature, stirs and whispers the Name of the Wrathful one that had apparently killed in the name of the Monster's prey.

The Monster shoves that soft, disgusting, _human_ part back and concentrates on the task at hand.

There was a Hunt to begin, but first a scent was needed to track the prey down.

The creature goes to the home that the people of Lennix says the prey lived in.

The Monster barely has to step inside to inhale the prey's scent.

The being hungrily licks lips that taste of blood before grinning wildly. 

The scent is now a part of the creature's memory.

The being exits the home, closing up behind the creature to leave no trace.

The being inhales deeply, finds the scent, and heads for the edge of town, following the scent. 

The Monster finds a cave that reeks of the prey and finds an abandoned cloth sack left behind.

The being stoops and picks the bag up.

The creature brings the bag close, inhaling the warm scent, and grins.

The Monster strids to the cave mouth and sheds the human shell that the being is hiding inside and takes on a more fitting one.

Plain human teeth sharpen into needle-like points and plain filthy, cracked, nails become long gleaming knives.

Clothes tear away as scales and spines rip from smooth skin as a long tail ending in a curved blade sways behind the creature.

Poppies bloom in the grass where rusty red blood drips to the ground from the being's face.

Sightless eyes look to the east and the Monster laughs as the creature starts loping after the scent trail leading away from Lennix.

The Hunt was on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poppies are for remembrance

**Author's Note:**

> Lennix is a type of artificially created Emerald
> 
> I imagine someone that looks/sounds like Saruman from the Lord of the Rings Films for the Priest and someone that looks/sounds like Joanna from Sweeney Todd for his daughter
> 
> The general level of technology vibe I'm going for is mid- to late 1800s maybe some early to mid 1900s mixed in because Magic Steampunk Fantasy World™ means I can make the rules about technology
> 
> Yellow Carnations mean "Rejection or disappointment"


End file.
